Travis Columbus joined the California Botanic Garden (formerly Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden) staff and Claremont Graduate University faculty in 1994.
His research focuses on the evolutionary biology and taxonomy of grasses (Gramineae), especially Chloridoideae, a subfamily of some 1,400 warm-season, mostly subtropical and tropical species worldwide. Columbus’s research goals are to discover the phylogenetic relationships among the taxa, improve the classification, and learn about the evolution of traits, especially inflorescence architecture, breeding system, leaf anatomy, and photosynthetic pathway.
Columbus’s approach to systematics is grounded in molecular phylogenetics and generous taxon sampling. Good sampling of taxa and analyses of DNA sequences from multiple genomes lead to robust estimates of organismal phylogeny. From these phylogenies, improvements to the classification can be made and a better understanding of trait evolution gained. Columbus’s work emphasizes field studies, not only to collect material (pressed specimens, seeds, and pickled material for anatomical study) for laboratory and greenhouse studies but also to gain knowledge of populations and their habitats.
In addition to his fieldwork, Columbus employs morphological, anatomical, cytological, developmental, and molecular data to discover the phylogenetic relationships among species, describe new genera and species, improve the classification, and gain insights into processes of diversification and biogeography.
Co-authored with Nancy F. Refulio-Rodriguez. “The Chromosome Number of Schaffnerella Gracilis (Gramineae, Chloridoideae).” Aliso 21 (2002): 31–32.
Co-authored with M.S. Kinney, and E. A. Friar. “Molecular Evolution of the Maize Sex-determining Gene TASSELSEED2 in Bouteloua (Poaceae).” Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 29 (2003): 519–28.
Co-authored with H.L. Bell, R. Cerros-Tlatilpa, M.P. Griffith, and J.M. Porter. “Schaffnerella Rediscovered! (Gramineae, Chloridoideae).” Aliso 20 (2002): 45–50.
“Morphology and Leaf Blade Anatomy Suggest a Close Relationship Between Bouteloua Aristidoides and B. (Chondrosium) Eriopoda (Gramineae: Chloridoideae).” Systematic Botany 23 (199): 467–78.
“An Expanded Circumscription of Bouteloua (Gramineae: Chloridoideae): New Combinations and Names.” Aliso 18 (1999): 61–65.
Co-authored with E.H Roalson. “Glume Absence in the Orcuttieae (Gramineae: Chloridoideae) and a Hypothesis of Intratribal Relationships.” Aliso 18 (1999): 67–70.
Agrostology (Study of Grasses)
Botanical Latin
Botanical Nomenclature
Principles of Plant Systematics
Special Topics in Plant Systematics: Readings in Phylogenetics
Special Topics in Plant Systematics: Biogeography